Machine for treating preregistered printing plates



July 16, 1940- TORNBERG 2,207,993

' MACHINE FOR TREATING PREREGISTERED PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 10, 19374 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1940. 1. TORNBERG 2,207,993

MACHINE FOR TREATING PREREGISTERED PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 10, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 2 fidarzbrnbery I. TORN BE RG MACHINE FOR TREATINGPREREGISTERED PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 10, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v? IZ e p d r I mm A Zm Q W Q am .6 m Nm a 8 Q O -m my m QN I: fi w g Q \Q Rm %N Q. v QN I\||.||||. A R J I! I @N m A\\\\\\\\\\\\ I w \Q w. v w Q mN bw Q Q N NW m m N w Q a N N w N M N July 16, 1940. l. TORNBERG MACHINEFOR TREATING PREREGISTERED PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 10, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 4 z" d far; jc'aaZZiZbey Patented July 16, 1940 UNITEDSTATES MACHINE FoR TREATING PREREGISTERE-D PRINTING PLATES IsidorTornb'erg, Plainfield, N. J., assignor to Wood Newspaper MachineryCorporation, Plainfield, N. J., a corporation of Virginia ApplicationAugust '10,-

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for trimming, or otherwise treating,castings or even forgings which already have been permanently registeredin such a way, that they can be placed on this machine in only one placeso that, when they have been treated in this machine, they will all beexactly alike. Although broadly having the principle set forth above,this invention is par: ticularly applicable to the trimming of the edgesof semi-cylindrical stereotype printing-plates, especially wheremultiplecolor printing is involved and where it is desired that identical platesbe produced and placed in identical positions on the printing platecylinders, thus obviating overrunning of the various colors at the edgesof the plates.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a new and usefulmethod of registering printing. plates; to provide preregistration insuch a manner that a considerable amount of time and effort in placingthe plates properly on this machine and on the press cylinders may besaved;

to provide means whereby the plates may be the plate, including the twobeveled curved ends;

to provide a machine which will, accomplishthe accurate machining of notonly the two curved end edges but aside edge simultaneously, al

though these machining operations may be done separately, withoutdeparting from the scope of the'invention; to provide a machinecooperating with a registering machine which will definitely place anotch or two notches in a plate to cooperate with the means foraccurately locating the plate on this machine; to provide atrimmingmachine on which the registered plates can be placed withoutloss of time and which will en ple, and to provide a construction inwhich,'if'

a plate is imperfect, due to some process in the stereotyping orelectrotypingthis fact Will have 1937, Serial No. 158,268

to be discovered and the plate thrown out before it is sent into thepress room and remade so as to fit in the proper place, or discarded.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.*5:

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which v Fig. 1is an elevation of a plate trimming machine constructed in accordancewith this invention; I

' Fig. 2 is-an elevation of the left hand or pulley end of the machine,as indicated in the arrow '2. inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is. anelevation of the" right hand or operating end of themachinaas indicated by the arrow3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the machine; f

Fig. 5,is a cross sectional view on the line 5.5 of Fig. 4; I

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view constituting an enlargementpfthe parts shown,in the upper part of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7' is a plan of the portion of the cylinder showing the registeringdevices thereon; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 8-8of Fig." '7 showing the means fofregistering one end of the plate, and

Fig. 9 is a plan of a plate as it comes to this machine. 7

This machine is to be used .in connection with a registering machinesuch as shown in my application Serial No. 156,252 filed July 29, 1937,or some other form of machine, for registeringa series .of printingplates by means of positive notches or the like thereon. j

The plant in which thistrimming machine is usedv comprises a registeringmachine in which the plates 0 are placed according to register crossesv96 on the four corners, preferably, of 40 the plates and in four places.onthe frame of the machine. Each plate is set in the registeringmachine'with-these marks inregistration,

mirrors 93 of said application being used tose cure fine adjustment. Theplateis fixedjn position and breaches, or other cutting means, areoperated radially through the curved end edges of the plate to provideregistering notches I02. These notches are placed in the previously castplate after all shrinkage in cooling has taken 5 place so that they arelocated accurately. The plate is removed by hand, as shown here, fromthe registering machine and set on the trimming machine with its twonotches I02 set between the two registering pins l l'thereon, which are55 the press room and set on that cylinder in exw the finished straightedge of the plateis placed" a ams a 7 margin bar and the plate clampedby its bevactly registered position since eled curved edges.

Themachine is provided with a main frame l carrying brackets 2 and 3which "are bolted to, and become a part of,.this frame.

are connected together and rotate together freely in the brackets 2 and3. The cylinder and end have hollow journals 6 and 1 which accommodatebushings 9 in which splined shaft 8 is mounted. The shaft 8 is rotatedthrough its pulley 68 independently of the cylinder 4.

The journal 6 of the cylinder end 5 is provided with a circumferentialgroove 60. In this groove operates a yoke IZ'threadedly mounted on ascrew H that passesthrough and is supported by the bracket 2 The screwisheld from moving lengthwise by, a collar at each end on the screw.

1 Therefore, the screw H adjustably controls the end motion of the platecylinder 4.

In the surface of the plate cylinder 4 are locatedblocks containingradial pins l4, preferably triangular in. cross section. These pinsengage in the notches I02 cut in the plate!) by the registering machine,as stated. These notch pins correctly align the plate on the plate.cylinder. 4 in relation to the cutters, to be described, and make itpractically impossible to place a plate on this cylinder 4, except inproperly registered condition. At the same time, if any plate comesthrough-the registering machine improperly registered or imperfect inany other way so that one-half of the cylinder. Carried by the cylinderare, in this instance," a pair of flexible straps 16 which extend partway around the cylinder and are adapted to be moved tohold the plate onthe cylinder. These straps constitute the plate holding means, They arepivoted by means of pins H to brackets l8 fixed to the cylinder at oneside and adjustable by means of bolts E9, the adjustment being fixed bybolts I9a. The straps areconnected with the pins by strap holders 20 ofmetal and at the other end are strap holders 2| similarly located andpivoted by hinge pins 22 to levers 23 pivoted on a shaft 24 mounted onbrackets 25, bolted to the plate cylinder ,4. It is by turning. thisshaft 24 that the strap hold ers 2| are brought down so asjto secure theplates by the straps and hold the plates in position on the cylinderwhile the necessary operations are It carries a plate cylinder i and anattached end 5 therefor, which becomes apart of the cylinder 4 Ti erbeing carried out. This is sufficient to keep the plate in positionduring that time.

The operation of the strap holders is brought about by means of astationary pin 26 carried by n the bracket 3. The rotation of the platecylinder eventually brings an oscillating bifurcated cam 2? into contactwith the pin 26 which enters,

This cam is.

foam while" the stationary pin relatively moves along it. The shaft 28has bearings inside the plate cylinder 4 and is provided on the oppositeend. WithQa gear 29 which rotates a gear 30 attached to said parallelshaft 24 mounted in the plate cylinder l outside its circumference. The

'shaft' 24 also carries the levers 23 just mentioned thatthe straps areautomatically tightened down on the plate and also loosened therefrom atthe end of the oscillation of the plate cylinder and itsplate. 5

The plate cylinder'is oscillated through a hand crank 35 fastened to oneend of a shaft 32. A pinion 33 is secured to the opposite end. .Theshaft 32 is mounted in the brackets 2 and 3 and is prevented from movingendwise' by a collar 3 The pinion 33 engages a gear 35 which is securedto the hub or journal I which is part of cylinderil Rotation of thecrank 3| by hand, therefore, will cause the" cylinder 4 to revolve. Thiswill carry with it the cam 21 until it engages the pin 26 projectingfrom the bracket 3. This, of course, turns the cam 21 and causes thegear 29 torevolve and rotate the shaft 24 which turns the levers 23 fortightening up the strap holders 2 I When the plate cylinder 4goesthrough its arc of motion, it is stopped by 'a stop block 36coming'into contact with a stationary stop 31. Then motion of the handle3! is reversed'and the cylinder rotated back until the edges of theplate register with the tracks-l5. The straps N5 are loosened by the cam2'5 leaving the pin 26, and the plate can be removed by hand on thetracks I5; V

A disc 39a is adjustably fixed in stationary position by being' boltedto a bracket 38. This bracket contains a slotted foot allowing foradjustment when the cylinder 4 is to be adjusted. -'It also is boltedthrough said foot to the frame 'I. The disc 39!]. carries a fixedinternal gear 39 in which runsa planetary gear 40 held on the end ofa'screw' shaft 4! by a washer 42. The shaft 4| is mounted in the platecylinder l by means of a; bearing 43 and is threadedly mounted in acarriage M carried on the shaft 8 and by a slot in cylinder 4. Thethread on the shaft M is cut so that when the cylinder i rotates andcauses the shaft 44 to rotate, the carriage 44 will be drawn alonglongitudinally in a slot in the cylinder 4, provided for this purpose.

I This carriage; 44, by means of ball bearings 45, carries a shaft 45which has secured at one end a rotary cutter 41. At the opposite end,secured by a washer 48, is a bevel gear 49. The shaft 46 is held inplace by the bevel gear 49, spacers 50and lock. nut 5!, as well as thecutter 41. The bevel gear E9 meshes with a bevel gear .66 which isslidably mounted on the splined shaft 8 and is held in the carriage 44by a ball determined dimensions.

cylinder 4 and on the left hand end is fastened a pulley 68 which, whenconnected to a suitable drive, will cause the shaft 8 to revolve andcause the shaft 46 and thecutter 41 to turn. As this cutter is mountedon the carriage 44 it will simultaneously move longitudinally and trimone straight edge of the plate.

On the frame I are bolted brackets 5| and 52 which carry bearings 53 and54 that mount a shaft 55. The shaft 55 is of suflicient length so thatrotary form cutters 56 and 51 mounted thereon when carried against thecurved beveled ends of the plate will trim said plate to pre- The cutter56 is secured against a shoulder on the shaft 55 by a washer 6| and nut62. The cutter 51 is made in two halves, for ease in assembly. They areheld together by collars 58 and 59, locking against beveled shoulders ofthe cutter 51. If on the same machine it is required to trim two platesof different lengths two standard collars 59 and 59a with a suitablespacer 60 between to provide the exact change in length are locked onthe shaft at a predetermined position. The collar 58 is turned back, thecutter 51 is removed and a similar cutter 51A is placed on the shaft, tobe locked there by a collar 6|. The shaft 55 extends beyond a bracket tothe left where a pulley 63 is mounted thereon in line with the pulley68. The pulley 63 and a collar 64 hold the shaft 55 in a longitudinalposition. The pulleys 63 and 68 may be driven separately or may utilizethe same drive. A pulley 65 is a belt guide.

A plate to be machined is placed upon the support guides l and is thenpushed on the cylinder 4 under the straps l6 and the notches that weremarked on the plate by the plate registering device engage notch pinsl4. The crank 3| is then revolved causing the straps l6 to be tightenedagainst the plate and holding'it firmly in place. When the straps l6 aretight the lever 23 has been brought to a point that causes thetightening mechanism to lock itself and when this is accomplished thepin 26 leaves the cam 21.

The carriage 44 will be drawn along the slot in the cylinder 4, carryingthe cutter 41 along the straight edge of the plate for its entire lengthwhile the plate cylinder goes through its arc of motion. That iscontrolled by the stop block 36 coming into contact with the stop 31.While the cylinder 4 is moved through its arc of motion form. cutters 56and 5! are trimming the beveled edges of the plate to conform to thepress lockup arrangement. I

When the cylinder 4 completes its arc of motion, the direction of motionis reversed, the plate is moved away from the cutters, the pin 26engages the cam 21 and unlocks the tighten ing mechanism, unlooseningthe straps l6 so that the plate may be withdrawn from the machine.

Thin plates of the same outside diameter'as thick plates can be machinedby placing a plate sleeve 69 upon cylinder 4 before a plate is appliedto it.

It is now apparent that like plates registered accurately on the plateregistering device may be machined or trimmed on this invention so thatwhen the series of plates are locked in the press, accurate alignment ofcorresponding parts from one printing couple to that of the next couplemay be maintained.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a machine for trimming a curved stereotype printing plate havingopposite notches in its curved edges, the combination of a curvedsupport for the printing plates provided with pins projecting radiallyfrom opposite ends far enough apart to fit the two notches in eachplate,

and straps passing over the plate tohold it in position.

2. In a machine for trimming a curved stereotype printing plate havingopposite notches in its curved edges, the combination of a curvedsupport for the printing plates provided with pins projecting radiallyfrom opposite ends far enough apart to fit the two notches in eachplate, straps passing over the plate to hold it in position, and meansfor trimming one edge of the plate when so. held.

3. In a machine for trimming a curved stereotype printing plate havingopposite notches in its curved edges, the combination of a curvedsupport for the printing plates provided with pins projecting radiallyfrom opposite ends far enough apart to fit the two notches in eachplate, straps passing over the plate to hold it in position, means fortrimming one longitudinal edge of the plate, and means for trimming thetwo curved 'end edges of the plate.

4. In a machine for trimming a plate, the combination of a central hub,a shaft rotatable thereon, a gear on the hub, means for turning saidgear and the hub by hand, a cylinder for receiving the printing platecentered on said shaft but rotatable independently thereof, said hubbeing fixed to the gear, a cam on the cylinder which will engage the pinas the cylinder is rotated, a shaft adapted to be turned by the cam, andmeans operated by the last named shaft for holding the plate against thecylinder.

5. In a machine for trimming a curved stereotype plate, the combinationof a cylinder for receiving the printing plate, a central shaftmountedin hollow hubs of the cylinder, means for rotating said cylinderby hand, a pin in fixed position, a cam, carried by the cylinder, whichwill engage the pin as the cylinder is rotated, a shaft mounted insidethe cylinder and adapted to be turned by the cam, means operated by saidshaft for holding the plate against the cylinder, means for operatingthe central shaft, and means operated by the central shaft for trimminga straight edge of the plate.

6. In a machine for trimming curved stereotype printing plates, thecombination of a central shaft, a cylinder for receiving the printingplate to be trimmed centered on said shaft but rotatable independentlythereof, an edge trimming cutter rotated by said. shaft, an internalgear in fixed position centered on said shaft, a pinion carried by thecylinder and meshing with said gear, and a screw operated by said pinionfor moving said cutter longitudinally of the cylinder while it isrotating on its own axis.

means for rotating the radial shaft from the a fixed stop against whichthe stop block encentral shaft, a rotary cutter on the radial shaft,gages at the end of a revolution, a central shaft a screw for movingsaid cutter along the shaft, on-which said support is rotatably mounted,a and means for operating said screw when the pair of cutters fortrimming the curved edges cylinder rotates. of the plate, a shaft onwhich said cutters are 9. In a curved stereotype plate trimmingmamounted, and means for rotating the last named chine, the combinationof a rotary plate support shaft.

having a semicylindrical surface, means for ro- ISIDOR TORNBERG. tatingit by hand, a stop block on said support,

